OZschwitz ordered to cease spying on East Timor by International Court of Justice

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RR Phantom

Location : Wabbit HoleJob/hobbies : Cayman Islands Actuary

Subject: OZschwitz ordered to cease spying on East Timor by International Court of Justice Tue Mar 04, 2014 4:24 am

Australia has been ordered to cease spying on East Timor and its legal advisers, in a landmark decision by the International Court of Justice relating to a bitter dispute between the two countries over $40 billion of oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea.

Australia shall not interfere in any way in communications between Timor Leste and its legal advisers

The court also ruled that the Australian government must seal documents and data seized in an ASIO raid in December. The ICJ is the United Nations' top court, and its decisions are binding on members.

The decision is a major setback for Attorney-General George Brandis, who authorised the raid on East Timor's Australian lawyer Bernard Collaery, where about a dozen agents swooped on his office and took reams of material, including legal documents, electronic files and a statement by a former Australian Secret Intelligence Service agent alleging an eavesdropping operation on the tiny half island nation by Australia.